Nut-lock.



E. J. REYNOLDS.

NUT LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 12. 1915.

. 1303i 27. Patented Oct. 31,1916.

UNTTED STATEd PATENT UET TQE.

ELMER J. REYNOLDS, 0F IVIIDIDLEBU RY CENTER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR .OF ONE- HALF T0 ELI/[ER CHESTNUT, 0F MIDDIJEBURY CENTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

NUT-LOCK.

Applicationfiled March 12,1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELMER J. REYNOLDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Middlebury Center, in the county .of Tioga and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Nut-Locks, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to nut locks, and more particularly .to that class of nut locks in which pawl and ratchet means is .providecl to prohibit reverse rotation of a nut ona bolt.

The primary object of my invention .isto provide a nut lock of the characterabovedescribed which is simple in constructlon, cheap to manufacture, durable, strong, and

one which is unfailing inoperation.

A further object of my invention is to provide a peculiarly constructed nut for use in connection with my improved locking means.

A still further object is to provide novel means for locking the nut in engagementwith the bolt, and to provide in addition thereto, means for retaining the locking means onthe nut.

A still furtherobject of my invention is V to provide a 111.11 IOClCWhlCh(30111131186813WO component parts, a two-fold function being performed thereby, namely, locking the nut on the bolt and retaining the locking means on the nut.

With'the above and other objects in View my inventionresides preferably in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth in the specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in wh1ch Figure 1 1s a'top plan view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the locking washer removed. Flg. 3 1s a bottom plan View of the locking washer. 4 is a longitudinal sectlonal view of my in vention showingthesame in position on a bolt. Fig. 5 isa transverse sectional view taken on the :line 5-5 of Fig.4. Fig. 6'is a fragmentary transverse sectional View showing one of the locking elements embodying my invention. (Fig. 7 ,is a detail perspective view of-one of the said locking elements. Fig. 8 is a'similar view of the other locking elements. 7 u Similar reference characters indicate simi- S pecification for Design.

Patented @ct. 31,, 1916. Serial No. 13,885.

ilar parts throughout the various wiews of the drawings. Referring more particularly to the drawings in which the preferred form of my invention is illustrated .the numeral 1 designates a bolt. of the usual type having one ex- .tremity thereof threaded as indicated at 2 and the other extremity provided with a head 3.

The material being held. is designated 40 My invention, as hereinbefore set forth, comprises .two component parts, namely, a modified :nut and a llOCKlng washer therefor. The nut of my invention designated 5 is provided with :the usual threaded central bore 6, the said nut 5 being provided with a .lateral extension 7 internally threaded as at 8 and provided with a plurality of transverse apertures 9, preferably disposed at points substantially diametrically opposite in the wall thereof. The other portion of the.extension 7 is complemental to and in alinement with .the threaded central bore upon the threads of the bolt 1 thereby distorting-lthesame to a slight extent and affording locking means. With the aforesaid objects in view I have provided a lockingwasher 12 which may be of a configuraltlOIl complemental to the configuration of the nut 5. The locking washer 12 is provided with a central bore 18, said central bore being enlarged adJacent the inner exltremity thereof to provide an annular recess .14 for a purposewhich will be hereafter set forth in detail. The inner face of the looking washer 12 designated 15 for convenience in describing is provided with a plurality of recesses, certain of said recesses having radially disposed portions 16 and enlarged circular portions 17. There is a third recess provided radially extending from the wall of the bore 13 and is designated 18; The recess 18 isprovided with an outer wall 19, andcommunicating with a longitudinal opening 20, said opening 20 extending through the body of the washer 12 and opening on either face thereof, and preferably disposed in parallelism to the central bore 13. The recess 18 is elongated at 21 to receive and rigidly retain one extremity of a spring arm 22, the other extremity of the said spring arm 22 extending into the recess 18 for a purpose which will be hereinafter set forth.

I provide means for locking the nut, said means being associated with the washer 12 and comprising pawl members 23, the said pawl members 23 being shown to advantage in Fig. 8. In Fig. 8 it will be noted that one extremity of the pawl 23 is enlarged to provide a substantially cylindrical portion 24, and the opposite extremity thereof is curved as at 25 to provide a cutting edge 26. Both of the pawl members are formed as above described, and the enlarged portions 24 are receivable as shown in Fig. 5, in the enlarged circular portions 17 of the apertures 16, and adapted for pivoted lateral movement, within a limited space, in said apertures.

In assembling the device, the washer 12 is receivable over the lateral extension 7 as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the annular recess 14 provided in the washer 12 affording a seat for reception of the annular ledge 10 formed on the nut 5. The apertures 9 are brought into registration with the recesses 16, and upon reverse relative rotation of the washer 12 and the nut 5 the pawl members 23 will be engaged by the inclined or beveled walls 25 of the apertures 9 and be forced into biting engagement with the threads 2 of the bolt 1 as indicated to advantage in Fig. 5. It will be noted that the peculiar formation of the apertures 9 wherein one of the walls thereof is inclined as indicated at 25 affords means for forcing the pawl members 23 into engagement with the bolt and no springs or similar resilient elements, so commonly employed in devices of this character, are necessary.

In order to lock the washer 12 in position on the nut 5 I have provided a locking pawl comprising a cylindrical spindle portion 26 receivable in the aperture 20 of the washer 12 and provided on one extremity with a lateral extension 27, the said lateral extension 27 being disposed in the recess 18, and one face thereof engaged by the fiat spring element 22, tending to force the same at all times into engagement with the ratchet teeth 11, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. In Fig. 6 the locked position of the pawl 27 is shown. To withdraw the pawl 27 from locked position against the tension of the spring 22, the outer extremity of the spindle portion 26 is provided with a transverse groove 28 for the above purpose. It will thus be seen that when the pawls 23 are moved to biting engagement with the threads of the bolt 1 by reverse rotation of the washer 12 on the nut 5, the pawl 27 will automatically engage the ratchet teeth 11 thereby preventing rotation of the locking washer 12 in the opposite direction due to vibration or any other accidental action. If it is desired to permanently lock the washer 12, it is only necessary to distort or expand the spindle 26 so as to prevent rotation of the same by insertion of a chisel or similar tool in the transverse groove 28 causing the outer extremity of the spindle 26 to expand and engage the wall of the opening 20 which will effectively prevent movement of the pawl 27 and permanently lock the nut.

The provision of the pawl 27 is a very important feature of my invention, but it will be noted that the frictional engagement of theinclined walls of the apertures 9 with the pawl members 25, when the same are in engagement with the bolt 1, will, in most instances, eifectively lock the nut on the bolt, but I have found that the addition of the locking pawl 27 greatly enhances the value of my invention. It will also be noted that the absence of complicated springs, keys, and other expensive devices allows of a cheap manufacture.

From the above description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing it is believed that the construction, operation, and advantages of my invention may be readily gathered, and I desire to emphasize the peculiar and novel manner in which the pawl members 23 are disposed, it being noted that the peculiar formation of the recesses 16 allows the pawl members to move out of engagement with the openings 9, and the scalloped portion 25 of the pawl members 23 lie flush with the periphery of the aperture 13 so that movement of the washer 12 relative to the lateral extension 7 is facilitated.

While I have shown and described my invention as possessing a peculiar form and construction, it is desired that it be understood that I may make such changes in the details thereof as do not depart from the and extension, a washer carried by the ex-' tension having means associated therewith to look a nut against rotation of a bolt, and means associated with the lateral extension for causing the locking means to be moved into an operative position.

2. A nut lock, including, in combination with a bolt having a threaded extremity, a nut having a central threaded bore receivable on the bolt, a lateral internally threaded extension on the nut, a plurality of apertures in the wall of said extension, a washer receivable and rotatable on said extension, and means associated therewith for engagement with the threads of the bolt, and means associated with the lateral extension for causing the locking means to be moved into an operative position.

.3. A nut lock, including, in combination with a bolt having a threaded extremity, a nut having a lateral extension thereon, said nut having a central threaded bore extending throughout the nut and extension, means carried by the extension and relatively movable thereto for locking the nut and means associated with said lateral extension for causing the locking means to be moved into an operative position.

4. A nut lock, including a nut having a lateral extension thereon and a central bore extending throughout said nut and extension, a washer carried by the extension, means for maintaining the washer immovable to the nut; means carried by the washer for engagement with the bolt to lock the nut, and means associated with said lateral extension for causing the locking means to be moved into an operative position.

5. A nut lock, including a nut having a lateral extension on one face thereof, and a threaded aperture extending through said nut and extension, a washer receivable on said nut and around said extension, said lateral extension having a plurality of apertures therein, means carried by the washer extending through the aperture to lock the nut on the bolt, said apertures being so formed as to cause the locking means to be engaged with a nut upon reverse rotation thereof.

6. A nut lock, including, in combination with a bolt having a threaded extremity, a nut receivable on said bolt having a threaded central bore, a lateral extension on said nut having a threaded central opening complemental to the opening in the nut, a plurality of apertures in said extension and a locking washer receivable on said extension, means on said washer for engagement through said apertures with the bolt, said apertures being so formed as to cause the locking means to be engaged with a nut upon reverse rotation thereof, and means associated therewith for preventing relative movement of the washer and the nut.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELMER J. REYNOLDS. lVitnesses:

R. A. SAMPSON, V. B. BOLTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

